Shami kebabs are an extremely popular snack in India and Pakistan. They are often garnished with lemon juice and/or sliced raw onions, and are usually eaten with chutney made from mint or coriander. They are also served along with Sheer Khurma on Muslim Eid Days.

A variation of Shami kebab is also found in the Bangladeshi cuisine. The recipe is almost the same but it tastes different from the original version. Beef Shami kebab is the most popular.

History

Shami kebab literally means Syrian kebab (Sham) in Arabic. Some are of the opinion that these kebabs were introduced to South Asia during the Mughal era by Muslim emigrants from the Middle East. They had employed cooks from all over the Muslim world to serve in the royal kitchens. Some of the cooks were from Syria as well. The Sham refers to either Syria specifically or the Levant in general, and these kebabs literally means Syrian kebabs or Levantine kebabs in Arabic. The Shami kebab are also popular in Afghanistan and Azerbaijan.